


Comfort Zone

by Lilly_C



Category: Law & Order
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Male-Female Friendship, inspired by a book
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-21
Updated: 2008-05-21
Packaged: 2018-02-05 08:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1811272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly_C/pseuds/Lilly_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Trust me, I’m not the crazy ex girlfriend.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort Zone

**Author's Note:**

> General season 14 timeline.
> 
> There are two extracts from Atonement by Ian McEwancan both can be found on page 228 (paperback edition) for those who’ve read it and for those who maybe haven’t yet read it, it’s not spoilery.

“Hey, Ed’s not in,” Hank stated cautiously.

Serena looked at the withered middle-aged man, letting the keys hang from the lock. “Yeah I know he’s not.”

“Wait a minute; you’re not the girlfriend are you?” Hank questioned.

“Trust me, I’m not the crazy ex girlfriend,” Serena answered, slipping out a soft chuckle at her mental replay.

Hank noticed the two diagonal cuts on Serena’s swollen bottom lip. “What happened?”

“Nothing, I had a little accident,” Serena said guiltily, cautiously touching her lip. 

“I’ve got some iodine in my apartment,” Hank offered. 

Serena shook her head, politely declining his offer. “I’m fine, thanks,” she said, letting herself in locking the door after her.

*

Once she was satisfied with the temperature of the bath water Serena turned the taps off, quickly dialing the office number. She sighed, mouthing shit when Arthur answered. “It’s Serena I can’t make it in today.” 

“Why not?”

“Stomach bug,” she answered dishonestly. “Hopefully I’ll be in tomorrow.”

“Alright, take care,” Arthur said as Serena hung up.

*

Serena pulled the pulled and got of the bath. She quickly dried off and got dressed, putting her vest and Ed’s pajama pants on, rubbing the towel against her damp saturated hair. Tossing the towel onto the laundry bin she headed to the lounge.

Serena took a bite of her cookie, turning the TV on; she curled up in the armchair, occasionally crying whenever a heart-rending scene came on.

*

Ed opened the door, hearing the TV he spoke loudly. “Serena, you still here? Hank said he you looked a little beat up.”

Serena lifted her head, wiping tears away. “Just a little but I’m fine.”

Ed sat on the arm of the chair; Serena sat up recalling the events that caused her injuries. “Last night me and Ellie were play fighting and I thought that I’d moved my head enough to avoid injury.” 

“I take it you didn’t?”

Serena shook her head. “No, I accidentally hit my mouth on the headboard and I thought that I might have knocked a tooth out but I haven’t I only cut my lip. Ellie pissed me off afterwards because she thought it was funny so I slept on the couch and left real early this morning.”

“I was wondering why I didn’t see you at work.”

Serena flashed a soft smile at him. “I came straight here and started running a bath. I phoned work while I was waiting for the water to fill up, Arthur answered and all I could think of was a stomach bug, I don’t think he believed me.”

“Because you’re not really sick.”

“Yeah. Hey can I stay here tonight?”

Ed smiled at her. “Of course you can, sweetie. How do you want to it?” 

“Like we usually do.”

Nodding his head, Ed smiled happily at the comment. “What do you want me to read? The funnies or a book?”

Serena thought for a dew seconds. “Some more of Atonement.”

*

“Do you want you pajamas back, Ed?” Serena asked, chuckling as they kept falling down.

“You wear them,” he replied as Serena got in, pulling the covers back enough for him to get in.

Ed put his arm around Serena gently stroking her hair while holding the book in his free hand. “Where are you at with the book?” he asked.

Serena read _“Turner kept his head down and followed the man in front, protectively folded in his thought,”_ aloud noticing Ed nodding. “That’s where I’m at too.”

 _“He would be cleared. From the way it looked here, where you could hardly be bothered to lift your feet to step over a dead woman’s arm, he did not think he would be needing apologies or tributes.”_ Pausing for a moment while Serena adjusted her position, Ed quickly continued. _“To be cleared would be a pure slate. He dreamed of it like a lover, with simple longing. He dreamed of it the way soldiers dreamed of their hearths or allotments or old civilian jobs. If innocence seemed elemental here, there was no reason why it should not be so back in England. Let his name be cleared, then let everyone else adjust their thinking. He had put in time, now they must do the work. His business was simple. Find Cecelia and love her, marry her, and live without shame.”_ Ed finished reading the scene with one eye focused on Serena as she finally yet calmly drifted away. 

Once he was sure she was asleep he put the book on the floor, turning the lamp off he held her closer as he gradually fell asleep.

*

The generic beeping of the battered and broken alarm clock woke Serena. “Stupid alarm,” she bitched sleepily.

Ed came in with coffee and pancakes for her, both made the way she liked. They stayed in bed while she ate the food, wiping the excess syrup from her mouth on her vest. “I’ll let you get dressed,” Ed offered as he left the room. 

A few minutes later Serena emerged. “I’m ready.”

Ed opened the door, letting her leave before him.

*

Pulling up outside the courthouse, Serena softly kissed him on the cheek unaware that Jack and Arthur were watching from the steps. She got out, turning and waving to Ed as she made her way up the steps.


End file.
